Nebraska...the good life!

I hope these pictures gives you a good understanding of why I love visiting Homaha. 

Rob, G, Mel, and me at O' Connor's- some of my fav Bluejays

Girls night out in downtown Omaha aka the Old Market

Maureen and Rob came to town. They always make me smile.

Look at this little baby pic of me that I found!?

Of course I got my hair re-done. I love rockin the natural look.

I spent most of my time with my family. They truly inspire me.

These are my MHS (high school girlfrans). They will always have a special place in my heart.

As y'all are aware, I only eat organic white meat (see blog post about why I do this here). My family, thankfully, got a bird that  I could enjoy for our Thanksgiving meal.

To show my fam how much I appreciate them, I cooked them a lot of meals. This is a delicious,  healthy, Chipotle inspired veggie bowl.

This is my beautiful Homaha! I am so thankful to have so many positive  memories associated with this place. Nebraska's state motto is "the good life" and it truly lives up to that saying. See you soon, Omaha. 

An important life lesson

One of my friends posted this image and story on Facebook. It's such a good message.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

-----

This message really resonates with me because I am currently back Homaha, Nebraska for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Don't worry, family and friends, I will make sure to post about my week-long break soon). In the meantime, I encourage everyone to reflect on the message that I posted above. 

Do you have a clear understanding of what the golf balls in your life are? If so, take the time this Thanksgiving season to be thankful of the jar aka the life you have been blessed with. 

However, if you are at a crossroads and are not sure what your golf balls are, please don't be too hard on yourself because your life was meant to be a life long learning journey. Simply make sure to take the initiative in figuring out what's critical to your happiness and the rest will fall into place. It also may not be a bad idea to grab a beer with a friend or two. They may not only be able to give you insight that will allow you to successfully progress towards the life that you deserve, but I am sure they will also share stories that will remind you that you've already come a long well. 

Counting my blessings

My friend Sarah Margaret gave me the devotional book pictured above. I appreciate this gift because it was a surprise and Sarah told me that she thought of me when she came across it. Considering that my faith is at the core of who I am, this gift really meant a lot to me!

I know that many people use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to express the many things that they are thankful for. What are you thankful for? Your family and friends? Your job? The fact that you have a roof over your head? President Obama's re-election? Your health? I, for one, truly consider myself very blessed and this is why I recognize that it is my responsibility to give back to the community so that others may also live the best life possible. I gained this understanding because of the family and friends who I share my Thanksgiving meal with every November. Because of their presence in my life, I am truly blessed!

However, this 365 devotional book empowers me to not limit my opportunity to build my relationship with God and express my gratitude to Thanksgiving. Thanks to Sarah's gift, I now make time every morning to enjoy peace in His presence and be thankful for the life I've been provided.

So, my friends, I encourage you to take a minute to reflect on what you are thankful for. If you find yourself identifying certain people through this process, I encourage you to reach out and tell them them how they have positively impacted your life. As the saying goes, "Make everyday count, appreciate and cherish every moment and grab everything you possibly can because you may never be able to experience it again," Kemmy Nola.

My life through pictures

We have been experiencing the best Fall weather. My friend Lauren and I decided to take advantage of it by reading  The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides for our book club at a neighborhood park. Everyone had mixed reviews about the book, but I personally liked it.  

Work has been crazy busy lately so it made my day when I received a surprise letter from my boy Justin in my work mailbox. It's the little things in life that matters!

This month, Maggie hosted us at her house for dinner club. My favorite dish was Maddy's Halloween cake.  One of these months I think we should get the group to go to Cafe Ba-Ba Reba because I've heard great things!

I couldn't decide what I wanted to dress up for Halloween. Miss Cleo,  an African Princess, or do a group costume?

Considering that Slatt and Kayla were in town, I decided to join them in the CTRL, ALT, DEL..., End Task group costume.

My Halloween celebration wasn't limited to the weekend. These are great cupcakes that my friend Kiki brought to work on Wednesday the 31st. Check out her blog here.

Kiki and I dressed up for work because we believe that you are never to old to dress up! How much are you loving our 80's and rocking it look?

The day after Halloween I had dinner reservations at Geja's Cafe, known as "the most romantic restaurant in Chicago." Cheers to a delicious fondue meal.

I told myself that I wanted/needed a chill weekend because the past 2+ have been pretty busy. So on Saturday I gladly accepted my friend Chelsea's invitation to hang out with her and this cute little dog, Wasabi. Check out her blog here.

Chelsea and I decided to make a meal together. Of course we used a Skinnytaste recipe because we love Gina's creations. This picture doesn't give this meal justice. It was BOMB! Check out her website and try something new.

The Skers are in town

My coworker, Joe, invited me to the Nebraska v. Northwestern game yesterday. I initially considered declining the invite because he told me that we were going to sit on the Northwestern side and that I had to wear a Wildcat shirt. However, I am glad I decided to go. Incase you are wondering, I totally rocked a white shirt and a red scarf. 29-28- Nebraska. I'll take that. GBR!

The weather was perfect for tailgating.

Typical Joe face

The Skers are in town!

I had great seats


P.S. I don't mean to brag, but I managed to give the team (including Taylor Martinez) high fives after the game.

You are what you eat

Contrary to popular belief, I have not intentionally dropped of the face of the virtual world. My wireless has not been functioning properly/ it's basically non-existent. Also, I have been working through my lunches so I haven't had the chance to post over my break this week. Therefore, I apologize to all of you who have sent me an email, text, or phone call to ask why I haven't been blogging.

Don't worry friends, I am here with a story and opinion to share...obviously!

Lately I have been thinking of the phrase "you are what you eat" based on a documentary, Food Inc, I watched a couple of weeks ago. Before I share my opinion about the documentary, I want to put it out there and take ownership regarding the fact that all documentaries have a political agenda and it's important to take that in consideration when you are absorbing the material presented. This documentary, in particular, examines corporate farming in America. I was moved by this documentary because through research, images, and stories, I was reminded that there is truth in the statement you are what you are eat. This documentary shed light on the reality that agribusiness produce food that is not only unhealthy in a way that is environmentally harmful but also abusive of both animals and employees. One statement that really stood out to me was, "The industry doesn't want you to know the truth about what you are eating because if you knew, you might not eat it."  As a result of viewing this documentary, I have made some SERIOUS changes to what I put into my body.

Perhaps I may have already lost some of you because this may appear as "another fad diet" but I want to give you a little food for thought. The next time you are sitting down alone or with others admiring your nice T-Bone steak (y'all know I am a sucker for steak) or plumb chicken breast, consider how it got that way.

This documentary (and additional research I did on my own) highlights the reality of how meat in the U.S. is currently processed. Did you know that the egg-to-life of a chicken is now six weeks old?

I saw large corporations give this little guy and his friends a hormone shot that within days developed them into full-grown chickens.

 What's even more concerning is that they are grown in cages that are too small for them to move and they get so fat that their breasts become so big that they can't stand up or walk. If you are not an animal person or can't relate to this because you don't know/want to know what it's like to be an animal, think about it this way.  How often have you seen a baby/human come out of their mother's womb, given a shot, and two days later become a full-grown senior citizen? Something just isn't right....right!?

I am not saying that you should stop eating meat completely because I currently consider myself a flexaterian; I prefer to reduce/eliminate my meat intake but if and when I do eat it, I  am all about free-range, organic, grass fed, and ethical animal treatment. I am just saying that you should do your research, consider watching documentaries like Food Inc, and maybe reconsider what you put into your body. Think about the phrase "you are what you eat." I don't know about you, but I want the ingredients that I put into my body to represent who I am: 100% natural (authentic) , free range (to do anything and live life), and healthy (committed to living a good lifestyle).

Sweat + Sacrifice = Success

This morning I went to cheer on some of my friends and colleagues who committed to run the Chicago marathon. It was such an inspiring moment because I saw people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and walk of lives. I couldn't help but look at myself and think...what is your excuse, Natu!? 

The jig is up. I need to go on a run!

I can't imagine how one must feel when they cross the finish line knowing that they just ran 26.2 miles. Actually, I am more moved by their initial decision to get up, get going, and live a healthy lifestyle. They say that the hardest step for a runner is the first one out of the door. 

Thank you, Chicago marathon runners and all those who have their wellness in check, for empowering me to realize that it's time to start to be great. I am looking forward to changing things up and not having this message as my reality...

Heard that, Nike! It is important to JUST DO IT. I know I am not known for my excellent math skills, but I do know that sweat + sacrifice = success.